Thirty-two University of Nebraska–Lincoln students are gaining investing and financial insight this fall in the fifth class of the Investors With Purpose program in the College of Business. The high-achieving students take a wealth management course that brings them together with global investment professionals for a unique learning experience.
The following students were selected for the program. They are listed alphabetically by hometown, with their year in school and academic major(s).
Nebraska
Burwell:
- Carter Mann, junior, accounting and finance
Columbus:
- Noah Koch, senior, accounting and finance
Elkhorn:
- Luke Jessen, senior, accounting and finance
Gretna:
- Anna Real, senior, finance
- Tanner Maas, senior, actuarial science and finance
Kearney:
- Carter Goff, senior, Clifton Builders management and finance
Lincoln:
- Anna Coffey, senior, finance
- Connor Wolf, senior, finance
Omaha:
- Cole Berrett, senior, finance and management
- Gage Bertucci, senior, finance and management
- Owen Crone, senior, economics and finance
- Guy Hunt, senior, finance
- Grant O'Doherty, senior, finance
- Miles Schmidt, senior, finance
- Christian Thomas, senior, finance
- Jake Vaughn, junior, accounting and finance
- Eva Watson, senior, finance and marketing
Raymond:
- Parker Barry, senior, finance
Elsewhere
Phoenix, Arizona:
- Ryan Perrin, junior, accounting and finance
Glen Carbon, Illinois:
- Braden Starck, senior, finance and management
Naperville, Illinois:
- Matt Ligeski, senior, accounting and finance
Schaumburg, Illinois:
- Ashwin Mannur, senior, economics and finance
Norwalk, Iowa:
- Lexi Soukup, senior, accounting and finance
Overland Park, Kansas:
- Jenna Gilbo, senior, finance and management
Wichita, Kansas:
- Ethan Ellingson, senior, accounting and finance
Bloomington, Minnesota:
- Gretchen Holland, junior, accounting and finance
Plymouth, Minnesota:
- Reegan Smith, senior, economics and finance
Shakopee, Minnesota:
- Carly Gorter, senior, finance and management
Henderson, Nevada:
- Cady Williams, senior, economics and finance
San Antonio, Texas:
- Elijah Beninato, senior, accounting, economics and finance
Porto Alegre, Brazil:
- Nikolas Mancio, senior, accounting and finance
Dong Nai, Vietnam:
- Quyen (Victoria) Nguyen, senior, economics and finance
Husker alumnus Douglas Waggoner, who worked for Ford Motor Co. and Rockwell International and spent 25 years as a senior leader at BlackRock, draws from his connections to bring experts to class and create investment internships, funded by the Douglas and Karin Waggoner Family Foundation.
“Our goal is to educate students about wealth management and finance while connecting them to industry mentors and providing paid internship experiences,” he said. “These industry leaders are excited to be part of this program, and the students, the College of Business and the future of asset management all benefit. This program also creates a community of like-minded students who can support each other throughout their careers.”
Directed by Richard DeFusco, department chair and professor of finance, the Investors With Purpose course brings together top talent from finance, accounting, actuarial science and business administration majors who have demonstrated leadership potential in the classroom and community. Students participate in discussions on critical topics such as financial technology, alternative assets such as hedge funds, and regulatory issues. Afterward, they join the guest speakers for a dinner reception, continuing conversations that help shape their understanding of the profession and build their networks.
“This program positions us to help launch the career of the next Warren Buffett, who is a Husker alumnus, by letting students understand what it means to take risks and not be afraid to fail,” DeFusco said. “Financial investment is more than just classroom theories; it’s the day-to-day connections you make working with others in the profession. That’s an enormous game changer we’re providing for our students.”
Now in its fifth year, the program has grown in impact, offering past and current students invaluable networking and mentorship opportunities. Course content emphasizes the purpose of finance and investing and how it impacts lives.
“I have been most impressed with all five Investors With Purpose classes,” DeFusco said. “Students bring a desire to learn and contribute, and I think this is the most exciting part of teaching this class. We’re now seeing Investors With Purpose alumni go on to do great things and want to connect with current students, which strengthens our community within the program.”
